In-line spotter with bottle pocketing control



Feb. 17, 1959 w. E. ERICKSON 2,873,842

. IN-LiNE SPOTTER WITH BOTTLE POCKETING CON'I ROL Filed Sept. 15, 1957 INVENTOR.

W eee-A/E. fem/ 50 W M m A T Toe/v5 vs United S ates Pat t 73cc IN-LINE SPOTTER WITH BOTTLE PQCKETING coNTRoL Warren E. Erickson, Madison, Wis., assignor to (:iisholt Machine Company, Madison, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application-September 13, 1957, Serial No. 683,754

9 'Claims. (Cl.198 33) This invention relates to machines for conveying and orienting bottles orthe liketo present a proper surface for the attachment. of a label thereto.

Apparatus of this typeis used to conveycircular packages, such as bottles, to a labeling machine which applies the labels ,to the bottle. Often two labels are supplied to the bottle .and they must be positioned correctly relative to one another, and relative to certain surfaces of the bottle. For this purpose a spotter device is used to orient .the bottlecorrectly before it is engaged by the label applying'mechanism. A reference spot is usually molded into the bottle, either as a projection on the periphery, or as an indentation therein and this spot is engaged by a feeler on the spotting machine to hold. the bottle in a correct predeterminedposition.

These bottles are delivered to the conveyor in any order, that .is, with no particular spacing therebetween, and prior art conveyors :and spotters of this type usually used metering wheels or spring loaded metering devices to properly space the bottles on the conveyor 50 as to prevent breakage of the bottles due to jamming. It has been a problem to place the bottlesin the pockets formed by these metering devices without causing binding between the parts or allowing more than one bottle to enter any one pocket.

For example, devices have been proposed, and used with considerable success, which use a pair of spaced endless members each having a portion of their endless flights operating in parallelism to one another and between which the bottles are adapted to be conveyed. One ofthese endless members comprises a flexible member having rollers spaced along its length and which engage the bottles to push them along their intended path and cause them to be rotated against an opposite friction rail at the same time. The other one of these endless membersmay comprise a flexible member, such as a chain, having a plurality of feeler members which are adapted .to engage thelreference spot on the bottle when the latter has been rotated sufliciently to aproperly oriented position. Both endless members must move at thesame linear speed toiconvey the bottle properly without causing .it to rotate du e to a twisting force couple. Difficulty has been encountered, in devices of this particular type, at the entry end between the pair of flexible endless members and due primarily to the roller contacting the bottle on dead center andforcingit tightly against the opposite rail. If jamming does not result, the trapped :bottle usually jumps back into thenext succeeding pocket, "not only leaving the preceding pocket empty, vbut perhaps jamming in the following, pocket with thenext bottle. 7

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved spotter mechanism of the above type which requires no metering wheels-to space the containers prior to their entry 'into the spotter.

According to the present invention, an in-line spotter mechanism is provided which -prevents -binding of the containers between the inlet ends of endless conveying 2,873,842 Patented Feb. '17, 1959 members and which insures that only one container each of the rollers.

is positioned in any one pocket.

These and other objects and advantages .will appear hereinafter as thisdisclosure progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 ,is a plan view, of an in-line spotter device made in accordance with the invention, certain parts being in section and broken away for clarity of the drawings;

Figure 2 is an elevational, sectional view, taken on line 22 of Figure 1, but on an enlarged scale; and

Figure 3 isa perspective, enlarged view of one of the spot feelers shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Referring more particularlyto the drawings, the supporting framework of the machine includes the stationary frame members 10 and 11. These frame members are on opposite sides of a surface 12, which may be fixed, as shown, adapted to receive the article at-its inlet end 13. For purposes of illustration, the article to be oriented has been shown as a bottle 15 having a spot 16 in the form of a projection adjacent its lower end which is formed integrally in the bottle.

An endless flexible band 18 in the form of a chain is trained around the spaced sprockets 19, 20 which are rotatably mounted on the frame member 10. A plurality of projection means in the form of rollers 21 are secured at spaced locations on the chain and are preferably of non-metallic material, for example, a plasticsuch as synthane. The roller chain 18 is driven, by means not shown, and the rollers'act to engage the bottles 15 and push them along the conveyor surface 12. The spacing between the rollers is such so as to accommodate only one bottle in the pocket formed therebetween.

Between the sprockets 1 9, 20 is'the guide member 23 which is secured'to frame member 10 by bolt means 24 which extends through the guide 23 and spacer 25. Both the guide and spacer are preferably made of synthane also. The inner side of the guide has a shelf portion 26 on which the rollers 21 are adapted to slide While in the conveying area. Thus the rollers are steadied and prevented from any tipping movement as they contact the bottle and push it along the conveyor.

The other flexible endless member 28 comprises a chain 29 which is trained over the spaced apart sprockets 30, 31 and which are rotatably mounted on the shafts 33, 34 rotatably mounted in frame member 11. A plurality of projecting means or feelers 32 are carried by the chain 29 and are spaced so as to correspond with the number of rollers 21 and positioned one adjacent These feelers are shown in Figure 3 and have a spot engaging edge 34 which is adapted to contact the spot 16 on the bottle when the bottle-has rotated sufiiciently to reach the predetermined oriented position. In other words, the feeler ,acts to prevent further rotation of the bottle once it has reached its oriented position, and the chain assembly 28 is called a stop chain.

An abutment means or friction rail 38 in the .form of a leather strip is secured to the inneredge of member '36, and the bottles are urged against this rail by the roller and its corresponding feeler act together to push the bottle along the conveyor surface.

The stop chain 29 is adapted to travel around the guide members 35 and 36 which are secured to the frame member 11 by bolt means 37. Thus the inside of the chain bears against member 35 and is accurately located, The guide particularly in the bottle conveying area. member 36 acts to support the weight of the chain which slides along its upper surface. a

The properly oriented bottle is thus pushed along wit out rotating by the conjoint action of the feeler and roller to the discharge end of the conveyor, where the bottle is picked up by another conveyor, not shown.

Trouble has been experienced in the past at the inlet end of such an orienting conveyor. For example, a bottle entering between the endless conveyors could becomejammed between the rail 38 and the roller 21, if the roller engaged the bottle on dead center or slightly behind dead center. In such a case, the moving roller would either crush the bottle against the rail or the bottle would jump back into the following pocket. Breakage or jamming of bottles obviously causes damage and downtime to such a machine.

In accordance with the present invention, a rotary member in the form of a flexible, endless V-belt 40 is positioned at the entry end of the orienting device and at the side opposite the roller chain. This belt is trained around pulleys 41, 42 which are rotatably mounted on the frame of the machine. Pulley 42 is mounted on the same shaft as is sprocket 30 and is also rotatably driven by this shaft' The outside diameter of the V-belt as it encircles the pulley 42 is larger than the pitch diameter of the chain sprocket 30. Therefore, the linear speed of the V-belt is greater than that of the stop or the roller chain.

It should also be noted that the roller chain enters the conveying area at a slight angle a, as shown in Figure 1. In other words, the rollers enter the conveying area at a slight angle so that the roller gradually approaches any bottle that is in the area. This slight angling approach is effected by the guide 23 extending inwardly sufliciently far to cause the rollers to follow the inwardly inclined portion 44 of the guide and then extend well inwardly past the periphery of the sprockets 19, 20.

With the above construction and arrangement, as a bottle approaches the entry of the orienting device, the roller more gradually approaches the bottle than it otherwise would if the roller simply traveled around the sprocket and immediately entered its line of contact with the bottle. In other words, the projecting means 21 have a substantial component of movement in the direction 'of the path of article movement before actual contact with the article. As the bottle is pushed against the V-belt, the latter, because of its faster travel, forces the bottle to a position ahead of the roller and definitely into the pocket ahead of the roller. Thus the bottle will never be hit dead center by a roller and crushed against the opposite rail. There is no metering wheel required at this area as the V-belt positions only one bottle in any one pocket and prevents any binding between the roller and opposite rail.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

1. In a conveying and orienting device for circular articles; a friction member arranged along a path of movement of articles; conveying means located in spaced relation to said friction member and carrying projecting means adapted to contact an article to convey said article and press said article transversely against said friction member to cause the article to rotate as it is conveyed, said conveying means adapted to gradually approach said path of movement so as to prevent dead center contact with said articles; a second contact member located on the same side of the path of movement as the friction member and movable in synchronism with the conveying 4 means along said friction member to contact said article at a predetermined point to arrest rotation of the article; and a rotary member located adjacent the entry end of said device and having a peripheral linear speed greater than that of said conveying means, said rotary member being located on the same side of said path as said friction member.

2. In a conveying and orienting device for circular articles; a friction member arranged along a path of movement of articles; conveying means located in spaced relation to said friction member and carrying projecting means adapted to contact an article to convey said article and press said article transversely against said friction member to cause the article to rotate as it is conveyed; means for said conveying means whereby the latt r is guided to gradually approach said path of movement; a second contact member located on the same side of the path of movement as the friction member and movable in synchronism with the conveying means along said friction member to contact said article at a predetermined point to arrest rotation of the article; and a rotary member located adjacent the entry end of said device and having a peripheral linear speed greater than that of said conveying means, said rotary member being located on the same side of said path as said friction member.

3. In a conveying and orienting device for circular articles; a friction member arranged along a path of movement of articles; conveying means located in spaced relation to said friction member and carrying pro ecting means adapted to contact an article to convey said art cle and press said article transversely against said friction member to cause the article to rotate as it 1s conveyed; guide means for said conveying means whereby the latter gradually approaches said path of movement; a second contact member located on the same side of the path of movement as the friction member and movable in synchronism with the conveying means along said friction member to contact said article at a predetermined point to arrest rotation of the article and relieve the pressure between the article and friction member; and an endless member located adjacent the entry end of said device and having a peripheral linear speed greater than that of said conveying means, said endless member belng located on the same side of said path as said friction member 4. In a conveying and orienting device for circular articles; a friction member arranged along a path of movement of articles; conveying means located in spacedrelation to said friction member and carrying projecting means adapted to contact an article to convey sa d article and press said article transversely aga nst said friction member to cause the article to rotate as 1t is conveyed; guide means for said conveying means whereby the latter gradually approaches said path of movement, said guide means including a supporting shelf for said projection means which is inclined toward said path of movement in a forward direction in respect to the direction of article movement; a second contact member located on the same side of the path of movement as the friction member and movable in synchronism with the conveying means along said friction member to contact said article at a predetermined point to arrest rotation of the article and relieve the pressure between the article and friction member, and an endless flexible belt located adjacent the entry and of said device and having a peripheral linear speed greater than that of said conveying means, said endless belt being located on the same side of said path as said friction member.

5. In a conveying and orienting device for circular articles; means presenting a substantially horizontal surface to receive said articles; a friction member arranged along a path of movement of the articles; an endless chain conveying means located in spaced relation to said friction member carrying projecting means adapted to contact an article to convey said article and press said article transversely against said friction member to cause the article to rotate as it is conveyed; guide means for said conveying means whereby the latter gradually approaches said path of movement; a second endless chain located on the same side of the path of movement as the friction member and movable in synchronism with the conveying means along said friction member and having feelers adapted to contact said article at a predetermined point to arrest rotation of the article and relieve the pressure between the article and friction member, and an endless member located adjacent the entry end of said device and having a peripheral linear speed greater than that of said conveying means, said endless member being located on the same side of said path as said friction member and adapted to contact said articles.

6. In an in-line spotter for circular articles of the type having abutment means arranged along the path of movement of said articles, conveying means located in spaced relation to said abutment means and carrying projecting means adapted to contact and convey said articles and also press said articles transversely against said abutment means to thereby cause said articles to rotate as they are conveyed, and a second contact member located on the same side of the path of movement as the abutment means and movable in synchronism with the conveying means along said abutment means to contact said article at a predetermined point to arrest rotation of the article; the improvement residing in a rotary member located adjacent the entry end of said spotter on the same side of said path as said abutment means and having a peripheral linear speed greater than that of said conveying means.

7. In anin-line spotter for circular articles of the type having abutment means arranged along the path of movement of said articles, conveying means located in spaced relation to said abutment means and carrying projecting means adapted to contact and convey said articles and also press said articles transversely against said abutment means to thereby cause said articles to rotate as they are conveyed, and a second contact member located on the same side of the path of movement as the abutment means and movable in synchronism with the conveying means along said abutment means to contact said article at a predetermined point to arrest rotation of the article; the improvement residing in, a rotary member located adjacent the entry end of said spotter on the same side of said path as said abutment means and having a peripheral linear speed greater than that of said conveying means, and said conveying means adapted to gradually approach said path of movement so as to prevent dead center contact with said articles.

8. In an in-line spotter for circular articles of the type having abutment means arranged along the path of movement of said articles, conveying means located in spaced relation to said abutment means and carrying projecting means adapted to contact and convey said articles and also press said articles transversely against said abutment means to thereby cause said articles to rotate as they are conveyed, and a second contact member located on the same side of the path of movement as the abutment means and movable in synchronism with the conveying means along said abutment means to contact said article at a predetermined point to arrest rotation of the article; the improvement residing in, an endless flexible belt located adjacent the entry end of said spotter on the same side of said path as said abutment means and having a peripheral linear speed greater than that of said conveying means, and guide means for said conveying means whereby the latter gradually approaches said path of movement.

9. In an in-line spotter for circular articles of the type having abutment means arranged along the path of movement of said articles, conveying means located in spaced relation to said abutment means and carrying projecting means adapted to contact and convey said articles and also press said articles transversely against said abutment means to thereby cause said articles to rotate as they are conveyed, and a second contact member located on the same side of the path of movement as the abutment means and movable in synchronism with the conveying means along said abutment means to contact said article at a predetermined point to arrest rotation of the article; the improvement residing in, a rotary member located adjacent the entry end of said spotter on the same side of said path as said abutment means and having a peripheral linear speed greater than that of said conveying means, and a supporting shelf for said projecting means and inclined gradually towards said path of movement whereby said projecting means are prevented from tilting and gradually approach said articles so as to prevent dead center contact therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

